Help - metal grinding noise *SOLVED*

[adrians]

Hi All,

Need some help identifying the source of a metal grinding noise.

Yesterday I drove to a car show - about 60Km there and another 60Km home in the afternoon.
I had checked and topped up the oil prior to leaving in the morning.

Start to notice a strange noise when I was leaving the show.

When I got home the noise was really prevalent as I drove into the garage.
The noise is only there at 1500 - 2400 rpm - As per the attached video, noise start at 3 second mark.

https://youtu.be/vlitZ6qX6JM

The sound appears to be coming from the front of the inlet cam housing, I pull the cam cover off the the cam looks okay - with heaps of oil present.

Motor is stock 2.0 litre with standard F.I., motor was rebuild in 2009 - low mileage since then. Timing belt is okay.

Any Ideas ????

[TwinFast]

It looks like something is touching rotating part. Look at the fan, alternator, cam cover or belts ....

[Odoyle]

+1 to TwinFast's comment

Make sure radiator fan/housing is not contacting the water pump.

[adrians]

Thanks for the replies,

I've checked the fan belt, CAM belt, the steel fan blades on the alternator - nothing touching. Electric fan for the radiator, so it wasn't running at the time. Check if the was any wiring touching anything.

Does the inlet cam have a bearing in the seal behind the cam wheel ?

Next I'll be getting the timing/cam belt cover off !

[Odoyle]

No bearings, cams seat inside the cam tower housing. Might have excessive play between cam journal and the housing, which is rare, but possible considering you mentioned everything came apart in 09. Was intake cam replaced then?

[bobplyler]

Are the cam pully bolts tight?

[adrians]

ODoyle - Cam wasn't replaced - same cam used, the pistons were replaced in '09.

bobplyer - Bolts - I hadn't thought of that - I'll be pulling the cover off next.

Thanks

[fiat218]

Timing cover rubbing on the pulley

[adrians]

Thanks for everyone's input,

Solved the problem today, after I put an inspection camera down each cylinder and did a compression test !!!

I found the fan belt had a bit of lack.

So, it wasn’t the valves, cam shaft, tensioner bearing or any moving part.

It was the lower bolt and nut on the alternator.

The nut had come off and the bolt was moving around, when the engine revved higher the alternator would move and create the grinding noise, - new nut, tighten it all up and no noise now.

All fixed ! ! ! !

[TwinFast]

Nice to hear that good news ...